Robo's Last Stand

[Asojima]

Sakari - Koyu

[Asojima]

With 2 Azumazekis (Ushiomaru and Takamiyama)
















1998


1999


2007


2009






"Put your arms down." Ah. Ah. I didn't say "Simon Sez".

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Bushuyama

[ScreechingOwl]

I know Takamisaraki was easy to view as something of a joke sometime, with his weird pre-match ritual of self-flagellation and grunting, as well as his squinting (although that was readily explainable). His wrestling style was rather unorthodox too, as he almost always seemed to be losing, even the matches he won.

Besides all of the above, I'll remember him for never using a henka, at least in the makuuchi division. The result of that was a very honourable rikishi; I'm sure it easily cost him two dozen wins over his career, and in addition, I can't think of anyone who took harder licks at the tachi-ai. (If your opponent knows you are going to be there why not hit you full throttle?) And I'll remember him for showing how much he loved sumo. Call him robocop if you will, but he always seemed very human to me, a lot more than someone like Kisenosato who is so damn grim.

Thanks for sharing the photos from a nice last day as well as a few from earlier in his career. Nice to see Takamiyama with him too.

[Pandaazuma]

Good pics there...thanks. Yeah, another good lad who took his sumo seriously and never pulled a henka (that I have seen).

[yorikiried by fate]

By the Power of Geek!

For me Takamisakari seemed to cultivate an aura of struggle and despair, even when he was still winning. Apart from his mastery of emotional stylization, this has mostly to do with his defense oriented sumo. He was only out when he was out.

As TSG once put it: "The Cop's chrome shines brightest at the edges."

Edited January 28, 2013 by yorikiried by fate

[Asashosakari]

In case anyone was wondering - 2228 kensho won after his return to makuuchi in 2002, says Mainichi.

[Pikenoyama]

For me it si almost unbelievable that record-wise Sakari´s prime time was almost 10 years ago....

[sumofan]

The end of an era.

To me, he was the spirit of sumo. Not because he was so good, but because he kept trying, fought hard and stayed real.

[Bugman]

I will miss Takamisakari, admittedly the skill of a rikishi's sumo is way down the list of considerations when i am choosing who to support, the way a wrestler comes across is my deciding factor and is admittedly not a very professional way of making those choices, but i liked everything about him, from his honest, up-front Sumo to his good-natured, pre-match antics, goodbye and good luck Robocop!

[Naganoyama]

I'm hoping someone will post the video of the press conference where it was announced.

[Tikozan]

Thanks for the nice pics.

(Applauding...) Thanks to Takamisakari for his entertainment. (Applauding...)

I will miss him. (Weeping...)

[Doitsuyama]

Besides all of the above, I'll remember him for never using a henka, at least in the makuuchi division. The result of that was a very honourable rikishi; I'm sure it easily cost him two dozen wins over his career, and in addition, I can't think of anyone who took harder licks at the tachi-ai. (If your opponent knows you are going to be there why not hit you full throttle?)

I'm sure that wasn't done (or not done) to be honourable. Sakari's problem (honestly now) would be to locate the rikishi after the henka if plan A wouldn't work.

[Swami]

He'll be missed, a real character.

Swami

[Kuroyama]

I feel odd commenting here, where I did not on the passing away of Taiho. But then I have no memory of Taiho's career, whereas for a newcomer to sumo in the past decade Takamisakari was someone who immediately stood out.

He always struck me as someone who really bought into the ideals that sumo was supposed to be about, but which in many cases appear to be honored more in the breach than in the observance. Maybe his sincerity is a matter of his geekiness and social awkwardness and utter self-unconsciousness, but it gave him a charm that a great many better wrestlers lacked.

I'll miss seeing him in action. I'm sure he will make for a devoted and earnest coach.

Edited January 28, 2013 by Kuroyama

[kuroimori]

Besides all of the above, I'll remember him for never using a henka, at least in the makuuchi division. The result of that was a very honourable rikishi; I'm sure it easily cost him two dozen wins over his career, and in addition, I can't think of anyone who took harder licks at the tachi-ai. (If your opponent knows you are going to be there why not hit you full throttle?)

I'm sure that wasn't done (or not done) to be honourable. Sakari's problem (honestly now) would be to locate the rikishi after the henka if plan A wouldn't work.

Like so many of us, Takamisakari also doesn't have the skill of echolocation -

in that case, he would've been known as

Takamikoumori :-D

Edited January 28, 2013 by kuroimori

[Dr.Radical]

For me Takamisakari seemed to cultivate an aura of struggle and despair, even when he was still winning. Apart from his mastery of emotional stylization, this has mostly to do with his defense oriented sumo. He was only out when he was out.

As TSG once put it: "The Cop's chrome shines brightest at the edges."

Yes! Absolutely. I think you nailed why I always liked him for the short period of time I've followed sumo.

Regarding his sumo, I think some of you are selling him a bit short. He was in makuuchi for almost 10 years and had some memorable kinboshi. He was certainly no slouch!

[Mark.Buckton]

Besides all of the above, I'll remember him for never using a henka, at least in the makuuchi division. The result of that was a very honourable rikishi; I'm sure it easily cost him two dozen wins over his career, and in addition, I can't think of anyone who took harder licks at the tachi-ai. (If your opponent knows you are going to be there why not hit you full throttle?)

I'm sure that wasn't done (or not done) to be honourable. Sakari's problem (honestly now) would be to locate the rikishi after the henka if plan A wouldn't work.

a lot of people fell for the 'almost blind' story. He was not nearly as poorly sighted as is made out - look at his press conferences to prove this.

[Kintamayama]

Getting used to writing his new name:

[Sakana]

About his sight, I remember a bout against Kyokushuuzan (but which day and which basho I don't remember ^^"). It was at tachi-ai. 'Shuuzan was far from the shikiri-sen and Takamisakari did a matta... He searched his opponent, who was near from the tawara... Many laughes from the public. (If only I could find this bout in video...)

I also remember a de-geiko he did at Kasugano-beya, in Tokyo, when he took another sekitori with his own tsukebito (before realizing he was speaking to the wrong person).

Edited January 30, 2013 by Sakana

[Bugman]

About his sight, I remember a bout against Kyokushuuzan (but which day and which basho I don't remember ^^"). It was at tachi-ai. 'Shuuzan was far from the shikiri-sen and Takamisakari did a matta... He searched his opponent, who was near from the tawara... Many laughes from the public. (If only I could find this bout in video...)

I also remember a de-geiko he did at Kasugano-beya, in Tokyo, when he took another sekitori with his own tsukebito (before realizing he was speaking to the wrong person).

I've done that a million times due to bad eyesight too, i was in my local shop a couple of years back and thought i recognised my friend hunched over writing his lottery numbers down, so i walked up, slapped him on the back really hard and shouted hey Peter man, tell me the lucky numbers! The frightened, blinking face that turned around was not my friend, i could have died lol.

Yeah i really sympathise, i once scored a rugby try pretty much blind at school, but a whole career of Sumo wirh bad eyesight? My respect for him has gone up even more when i think about how hard it must have been, because your eyes help in regulating your balance too, it's not just the ears.

[Akinomaki]

Furiwake-oyakata going to the hyogiinkai in his new suit

usual outfit


Now with a stable income (about 12 million yen a year plus expected
income from new CMs, Tospo expects more than 20 million in all) and a stable daily life he may find a wedding
partner.

[Akinomaki]

Takamisakari's intai-zumo will be on Oct. 6th. in the kokugikan.


photo for the rikishi directory




interview after his first oyakata task

[Kaiō Fan]

About his sight, I remember a bout against Kyokushuuzan (but which day and which basho I don't remember ^^"). It was at tachi-ai. 'Shuuzan was far from the shikiri-sen and Takamisakari did a matta... He searched his opponent, who was near from the tawara... Many laughes from the public. (If only I could find this bout in video...)

I also remember a de-geiko he did at Kasugano-beya, in Tokyo, when he took another sekitori with his own tsukebito (before realizing he was speaking to the wrong person).

I think it was Haru 2005 Day 4... http://www.youtube.com/embed/j-O-QFprxFU?autoplay=1

[Kintamayama]

Furiwake is already the butt of other Oyakata's jokes. "A black tie? Are you going to a funeral??" asked one Oyakata when he showed up at the Kyokai meeting with a new black suit and black tie. "I'm still new at this.. I only have two ties.. That was a bit tactless..I'm really tired," said a ragged, unshaven Furiwake to the press.

He will be the guest commentator on Fuji TV's coverage of the one-day tournament on February 10th.

Edited February 1, 2013 by Kintamayama

[Akinomaki]

more from Furiwake's first workday